Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

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Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

$12 per month to gain access online beyond 20 free stories per month. I thought everyone knew this, but I guess not. Are you going to pay it. I understand why they are doing this, but $12 per month seems a little steep to me - $144 per year seems too much. Although people paid for years and years (and still do) to have the print edition delivered to your house - not sure there is a difference.

A price of between 20 and 35 per year is what I think it should be. (Should be interesting to see what happens) Wonder how sites like WTHR.com, WISHTV.com, WRTV.com and WXIN.com are going to try and capitallize on this

Since 1903, The Indianapolis Star has served Central Indiana with news and information. We've worked hard to keep a trust with you for nearly 110 years, even as a lot changed in that time.

A hundred years ago in Downtown Indy, people didn't just talk about mass transit -- they rode it. A fleet of more than 300 electric streetcars crisscrossed the city. We've seen construction of Indy's first skyscrapers, the launch and expansion of the convention center and the construction of Circle Centre mall. The once-new Market Square Arena and RCA Dome gave way to Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium. We're home to new museums, the zoo, Victory Field, the NCAA headquarters and now the nation's second-largest medical school on the site where IUPUI was born.

How we communicate also has evolved, of course. We've moved from telegraph to telephones, to radio, to television and now into the digital age.

Certainly, one of the more dramatic changes is how you and other Central Indiana residents get your news and information. It wasn't too long ago that the printed edition of The Star was the only option we provided to you. Today, you engage with us on your desktop, on your smartphone and on your tablet. In Central Indiana alone, more than 210,000 residents engage with The Star each week on a digital platform. Even more telling, 89,000 Central Indiana residents look at our news and information only on our digital platforms each week.

And although many consumers choose to use digital devices to access our content, many still prefer the traditional print edition. In a typical week, more than 650,000 residents read a print edition of The Star. It's easy, though, to see where consumers are headed.

After a century of doing business in about the same way, it's time for us to transform The Star's business model. These changes will include a new Full Access subscription plan that reflects the value of our content and ensures our ability to grow and serve you better. We are not unlike thousands of businesses that have needed to rethink their business model to keep ahead of changing needs of consumers.

In the past year, we have met with many readers and conducted numerous research studies. We listened hard to what you want and need from us. No "one size fits all" was apparent, but what was obvious was the need to provide multiple options for you to access our content how, when and where you want it. And you told us that we must focus on (and invest in) the issues that you most care about. We will.

Here are a few key highlights of our new business model:Beyond the headlines

Our primary goal is to provide high-quality, in-depth journalism on topics you are passionate about. Great investigative reporting and public service rank high on that list. The Star's Our Children Our City project takes you inside the halls and classrooms of struggling schools and into the lives of children, shining a light on the troubling issues they confront and inspiring you to become involved. Our StarWatch investigative team brings you hard-hitting stories you can't get anywhere else -- exposing corruption, injustice and incompetent government agencies that waste your tax dollars.

In sports, we take you beyond the games, bringing you closer to your favorite players and providing you with more angles on the Colts than any other source. We offer behind-the-scenes details, engaging humor, expert analysis and clever ways to save time and money. We have strong personalities and provocative columnists whose takes on life may delight you or rile you -- but always make you think. And we have great storytelling. All of this is part of our daily effort to improve your Star -- an effort that will now intensify as we devote greater resources to providing you with even more and better coverage.Multiple ways to connect with us

All subscribers will have full access 24/7 through all of our platforms:

Full Access digital-only subscriptions are available for $12 a month, only 40 cents a day. Beginning Sept. 1, we will limit access to news and information content consumed through our website, smartphones and tablets. Nonsubscribers still will be able to read up to 20 stories per 30 days on IndyStar.com before needing to subscribe.New subscription rates

We are committed to continuing to provide you with in-depth stories and compelling journalism in timely and meaningful ways. To be able to deliver on that commitment, we are raising some of our subscription prices. In August, you will get a letter from me outlining the specific changes to your subscription. The new rates are effective Sept. 1, but we will honor your current rate until your next billing cycle. We have not made this decision lightly. A Full Access subscription, including home delivery of the print edition each day, will be a great value at only 76 cents a day.

Finally, there is one more part of our transformation that I want to explain. You may have heard or read recently that we have decided, after 104 years, to put our Downtown building on Pennsylvania Street up for sale. It has been a wonderful part of our history. But the Penn building no longer suits the size and needs of our staff. We need space that inspires us to be creative and digitally focused as we continue to pursue great journalism that makes an impact and is a positive force on our community. We are committed that Star employees will relocate to a new location Downtown still to be determined. We hope to find space that inspires our future and welcome you to be a partner in the conversation.

All of our changes are meant to ensure we serve Central Indiana for a very long time. Our commitment to keep our readers informed and serve our community is stronger than ever.

On Aug. 12, we will publish a Q&A in The Star and on IndyStar.com regarding our changes. The next day, we'll also answer questions in a chat online. Please don't hesitate to email me with questions you'd like answered.

Look for my letter in your mailbox in the weeks ahead.

Thank you for making us part of your life. We will continue to work hard to earn your trust and your business.Contact Karen Crotchfelt, president and publisher

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

Can I still buy a copy of the print edition at my local store?
Yes, print editions will still be available seven days a week at normal retail outlets.I am willing to pay for a Full Access subscription, but I have had some delivery challenges with my print edition. If you can get them fixed I would be a very happy customer.
Please call us or email us if your print edition fails to arrive as promised. We work hard to provide great delivery but if you are having a problem, we ABSOLUTELY want to know about it and will work hard to fix it. Call us at 1-888-357-7827 or email IndianapolisStar@Gannett.com.I don't want digital, just home delivery of the print edition.
We understand that some subscribers may still only want to use print, while others will only want to use online. However, our research indicates many customers want the convenience of accessing The Star's content in multiple ways. Full Access subscriptions allow you to choose. If you don't plan on using your digital access, you can share your log-in (you get two logins with your subscription) with a family member who may enjoy the many benefits and unique content only available online.If I get the digital-only subscription, will I be able to access all the coupons and inserts?
You can find about half of the advertising inserts online at findnsave.indystar.com, which features coupons and circulars from participating advertisers. To ensure you get a full assortment of inserts and coupons, your best option is to choose a Full Access subscription including delivery of at least the Thursday and Sunday print editions.I have an iPad and have been using The Star's optimized site but it seems a little slow with a few glitches.
Good news! With our launch of Full Access on Sept. 1, we will upgrade our tablet site. The site will have faster download times with select content available for offline viewing, simplified navigation to get you to stories you want with fewer taps, plus story commenting. Our new tablet site can also be accessed on many Android devices such as the Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.I love Indystar.com and would love to subscribe to a Full Access digital-only subscription. Can I get it without all the ads though?
Just as we have ads in print, we will continue to have ads on our digital platforms. However, we have put in place new guidelines to try to avoid the ad clutter that frustrates you. Local businesses get great results from advertising on our digital platforms, including IndyStar.com, and we want to help them succeed.Will I have to subscribe or pay to read obituaries online?
No, obituaries and several other sites -- such as Cars .com, CareerBuilder.com, Apartments.com and Home Finder.com -- will still have unlimited accessibility for non-subscribers.What kind of content will I get online that I don't already get in my print edition?
Digitally, you'll get breaking news when it happens all day long and a robust offering of videos and photo galleries that complement stories or tell stories. You'll also have access to databases, such as our new Things to Do and Out to Eat content channels. Both have extensive local databases to help you plan your free time and find great places to eat. You can also join in the conversation by using your Facebook login to chat about stories of interest. Additionally with full access to the digital platforms, when you travel or wherever you are, you won't miss a moment of what is happening in Indy.Why is the price for a subscription that includes 7-day home delivery of the print edition going up so much?
We believe the new subscription rate for full access across multiple platforms that includes 7-day home delivery of the print edition is priced appropriately to reflect the value of our high-quality, in-depth journalism and the costs associated with printing and delivering a product to your home every day. Our last price increase was in 2008. The new price, just 76 cents a day, ensures our ability to bring you great content and helps keep local journalism strong.You mentioned you will be improving your content. How?
We are adding reporters to our local news coverage and are devoting more resources to breaking news. We're also adding reporters and expanding our coverage of things to do and places to go, and will be providing a local column focused on saving you money. We also continue to expand on the exclusive watchdog work you find only in The Star and at IndyStar.com.As far as digital goes, why would I pay you for something that I can get for free from somebody else?
With a staff of more than 100 journalists in Central Indiana, we provide stories you can't find anywhere else. We devote more coverage than anyone else to the Colts and offer the insights of sports columnist Bob Kravitz and Pacers Insider Mike Wells, along with exclusive stories about your favorite colleges and high schools. Our StarWatch investigative team and other reporters regularly break exclusive, significant stories that expose wrongdoing, injustice and wasted tax dollars. You will see expanded entertainment coverage, with an eye toward helping busy families find fun things to do together, as well as our new bargain-hunting column. You'll find all of this and more at IndyStar .com.Have another question? Three ways to ask

» Please call us at 1-888-357-7827 between 7 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. today, or 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.» Go to www.mynewspaperservice.com.» Join a live webchat from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday on IndyStar.com with Publisher and President Karen Crotchfelt, Vice President and Editor Jeff Taylor, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Douglas Wilson and Vice President of Digital Strategy Patricia Miller.

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

When I was in college, one of our journalism professors had a tradition of handing out an essay to his students each semester that reminded us of what newspaper readers expect.
They expect you to get it right, he said. All the time. They expect you to be fair and balanced. And to be watchdogs. And to tell stories, great stories, that stir the heart, that inspire the soul, that cause grumbles, that surprise and delight. They expect you to tell them about their neighborhood, their city, their state, the nation, the world. To take them behind the scenes of their favorite sports. To be a leader in the community and make it a better place. To be sure the comics are there. And the puzzles and the ads that help people find great deals. And they expect you to deliver all of this to their homes every day, dry and fresh, by the time they wake up.

We give them all of this, he said, for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

The message is as true today as it was then, except now we deliver all of that content, and more, in ways we never imagined -- still on paper, yes, but also on desktops and tablets and smartphones.

At The Indianapolis Star, we've been committed to meeting those expectations for more than 100 years. We look forward to doing the same for a long time to come as our business model evolves.

I've been in Indy only a month. In those four weeks, I've enjoyed exploring our wonderful city and I've enjoyed hearing from many of you. You've shared good wishes, your likes, your dislikes, and I appreciate the thoughtful input on how we can serve you better.
Here's what I'd like you to know: We're working hard to do that. We are rolling out many improvements and new features at The Star and at IndyStar .com in direct response to what you've told us you want.

We have a staff of more than 100 dedicated journalists -- the largest news force in Indianapolis and our state. They're an impressive team, passionate about their city and about the work they do, and I'm proud to lead their efforts as we focus on delivering a great news report in all the ways you've come to expect.

Nearly 800,000 Central Indiana adults read The Star or IndyStar .com each week. We want you to know we're investing in our content, from adding reporters who cover local news to expanding our coverage of things to do and places to go. We're devoting more resources to breaking news coverage of significant, fast-developing stories while also expanding our emphasis on hard-hitting investigative reporting and public service journalism.

You can count on finding exclusive stories with us. Our coverage of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, for instance, saved ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars and led to the firing and resignations of government and business officials and the indictment of the state's top utility regulator. Our investigation into the tragic collapse of the State Fair stage rigging last year uncovered problems with inspection and permitting issues as well as failures in executing the fair's emergency plan -- all issues later confirmed by state-hired investigators. Our coverage of the state's Department of Child Services has exposed numerous incidents in which children were killed despite the agency's involvement or efforts to warn the agency.

This kind of reporting is at the heart of what we do. We're continuing to invest in journalism that makes a difference and aims to make our city a better place for everybody. As part of those efforts, we are launching a 10-year commitment to Our Children/Our City, a public service project that seeks to improve the lives of kids in our community. We'll continue to shine light on the tough issues and challenges our community faces, with a goal of also pointing toward solutions.

As we build on our local coverage, we want you to know that we have reporters assigned full time in places others don't -- City Hall, the Statehouse and other key posts where you expect us to watch your tax money. We're equally committed to the sports you love. And that's why you often see big sports news first at IndyStar.com.

Our Pacers Insider Mike Wells was the first to report that Donnie Walsh was returning as team president. A few days later, Wells broke another story explaining why: Larry Bird was stepping down. Colts writer Mike Chappell was the first to report that quarterback Andrew Luck had reached a deal with the team. As the NFL season gets under way, we'll have the largest team of reporters devoted to Colts coverage. You'll continue to see up-to-the-minute reports, exclusive stories, deep profiles and analyses from Chappell, Phil Richards and Phillip B. Wilson, along with Star columnist Bob Kravitz.

We're doing this and more because we want to continue to keep your business and your trust -- and because we listened to what you had to say about what you want. We'll keep listening and keep doing journalism that matters, journalism that makes a difference in your life.

Jeff Taylor is editor and vice president of The Indianapolis Star. You may reach him at jeff.taylor@ indystar.com or at (317) 444-6160.

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

$12 per month to gain access online beyond 20 free stories per month. I thought everyone knew this, but I guess not. Are you going to pay it. I understand why they are doing this, but $12 per month seems a little steep to me - $144 per year seems too much. Although people paid for years and years (and still do) to have the print edition delivered to your house - not sure there is a difference.

Since 1903, The Indianapolis Star has served Central Indiana with news and information. We've worked hard to keep a trust with you for nearly 110 years, even as a lot changed in that time.

A hundred years ago in Downtown Indy, people didn't just talk about mass transit -- they rode it. A fleet of more than 300 electric streetcars crisscrossed the city. We've seen construction of Indy's first skyscrapers, the launch and expansion of the convention center and the construction of Circle Centre mall. The once-new Market Square Arena and RCA Dome gave way to Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium. We're home to new museums, the zoo, Victory Field, the NCAA headquarters and now the nation's second-largest medical school on the site where IUPUI was born.

How we communicate also has evolved, of course. We've moved from telegraph to telephones, to radio, to television and now into the digital age.

Certainly, one of the more dramatic changes is how you and other Central Indiana residents get your news and information. It wasn't too long ago that the printed edition of The Star was the only option we provided to you. Today, you engage with us on your desktop, on your smartphone and on your tablet. In Central Indiana alone, more than 210,000 residents engage with The Star each week on a digital platform. Even more telling, 89,000 Central Indiana residents look at our news and information only on our digital platforms each week.

And although many consumers choose to use digital devices to access our content, many still prefer the traditional print edition. In a typical week, more than 650,000 residents read a print edition of The Star. It's easy, though, to see where consumers are headed.

After a century of doing business in about the same way, it's time for us to transform The Star's business model. These changes will include a new Full Access subscription plan that reflects the value of our content and ensures our ability to grow and serve you better. We are not unlike thousands of businesses that have needed to rethink their business model to keep ahead of changing needs of consumers.

In the past year, we have met with many readers and conducted numerous research studies. We listened hard to what you want and need from us. No "one size fits all" was apparent, but what was obvious was the need to provide multiple options for you to access our content how, when and where you want it. And you told us that we must focus on (and invest in) the issues that you most care about. We will.

Here are a few key highlights of our new business model:Beyond the headlines

Our primary goal is to provide high-quality, in-depth journalism on topics you are passionate about. Great investigative reporting and public service rank high on that list. The Star's Our Children Our City project takes you inside the halls and classrooms of struggling schools and into the lives of children, shining a light on the troubling issues they confront and inspiring you to become involved. Our StarWatch investigative team brings you hard-hitting stories you can't get anywhere else -- exposing corruption, injustice and incompetent government agencies that waste your tax dollars.

In sports, we take you beyond the games, bringing you closer to your favorite players and providing you with more angles on the Colts than any other source. We offer behind-the-scenes details, engaging humor, expert analysis and clever ways to save time and money. We have strong personalities and provocative columnists whose takes on life may delight you or rile you -- but always make you think. And we have great storytelling. All of this is part of our daily effort to improve your Star -- an effort that will now intensify as we devote greater resources to providing you with even more and better coverage.Multiple ways to connect with us

All subscribers will have full access 24/7 through all of our platforms:

Full Access digital-only subscriptions are available for $12 a month, only 40 cents a day. Beginning Sept. 1, we will limit access to news and information content consumed through our website, smartphones and tablets. Nonsubscribers still will be able to read up to 20 stories per 30 days on IndyStar.com before needing to subscribe.New subscription rates

We are committed to continuing to provide you with in-depth stories and compelling journalism in timely and meaningful ways. To be able to deliver on that commitment, we are raising some of our subscription prices. In August, you will get a letter from me outlining the specific changes to your subscription. The new rates are effective Sept. 1, but we will honor your current rate until your next billing cycle. We have not made this decision lightly. A Full Access subscription, including home delivery of the print edition each day, will be a great value at only 76 cents a day.

Finally, there is one more part of our transformation that I want to explain. You may have heard or read recently that we have decided, after 104 years, to put our Downtown building on Pennsylvania Street up for sale. It has been a wonderful part of our history. But the Penn building no longer suits the size and needs of our staff. We need space that inspires us to be creative and digitally focused as we continue to pursue great journalism that makes an impact and is a positive force on our community. We are committed that Star employees will relocate to a new location Downtown still to be determined. We hope to find space that inspires our future and welcome you to be a partner in the conversation.

All of our changes are meant to ensure we serve Central Indiana for a very long time. Our commitment to keep our readers informed and serve our community is stronger than ever.

On Aug. 12, we will publish a Q&A in The Star and on IndyStar.com regarding our changes. The next day, we'll also answer questions in a chat online. Please don't hesitate to email me with questions you'd like answered.

Look for my letter in your mailbox in the weeks ahead.

Thank you for making us part of your life. We will continue to work hard to earn your trust and your business.Contact Karen Crotchfelt, president and publisher

The star has become a terrible newspaper and there site isn't much better. Let Kravitz talk to himself..... ...

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

LOL

"Nobody wants to play against Tyler Hansbrough NO BODY!" ~ Frank Vogel

"And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen. "
Want your own "Just Say No to Kamen" from @mkroeger pic? http://twitpic.com/a3hmca

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

Like him or not, I suspect Kravitz is one of the most, if not the most valuable reporters the Star has in retaining readers. Almost 100% of his columns wind up at #1 on the Star's 'Most Popular' columns chart.

Financially he'd be as great of a loss the Star can have, in terms of writers.

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

Just wait... The print edition sold at retail is going with a price increase also starting with the Sunday Star going up .25 to $2 for Metro and State Copies are going up $1 to $3. I believe that change takes effect this weekend! As for the digital copy... That's fine with me considering my livelihood is based on the print edition doing well.

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

Just wait... The print edition sold at retail is going with a price increase also starting with the Sunday Star going up .25 to $2 for Metro and State Copies are going up $1 to $3. I believe that change takes effect this weekend! As for the digital copy... That's fine with me considering my livelihood is based on the print edition doing well.

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

Just wait... The print edition sold at retail is going with a price increase also starting with the Sunday Star going up .25 to $2 for Metro and State Copies are going up $1 to $3. I believe that change takes effect this weekend! As for the digital copy... That's fine with me considering my livelihood is based on the print edition doing well.

Wow, really? I hate to say it but it feels like the Star's days are numbered. At least a lot of staff members days anyway. It's a bummer what the internet's done to the hard journalism industry. Blogs are great, and there's a number that do really good investigative journalism, but it feels like we're heading towards a news world that's nothing but opinion based. I don't read papers for the editorials and opinion pieces, I read them for actual reporting.

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Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

For comparison, my city paper has limited content on their website, but offers mobile app access to their full print edition (including ability to search, bookmark, print articles/coupons etc.) for $1/month.

$12/month is outrageous.

"I'll always be a part of Donnie Walsh."
-Ron Artest, Denver Post, 12.28.05

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

Wow, really? I hate to say it but it feels like the Star's days are numbered. At least a lot of staff members days anyway. It's a bummer what the internet's done to the hard journalism industry. Blogs are great, and there's a number that do really good investigative journalism, but it feels like we're heading towards a news world that's nothing but opinion based. I don't read papers for the editorials and opinion pieces, I read them for actual reporting.

I think they are done too..... and it is very sad but it is happening all over the country. I know because I travel and I usually just get USA Today because the local papers are so bad. The only reason I do get them is to read editorials in different parts of the country and that is very interesting and sometimes a bit scary....... like here in Texas..... ...

Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

The Star is a lousy paper, the local coverage just isn't that great. It is too generic, could be the paper of Anytown, USA really. The international/national coverage is even worse. I just don't like the idea of a big publisher like Gannett controlling a bunch of local papers. I don't know who does webdesign for Gannett's papers, but I can't stand it. The Star's website is awful.

The only paper I read faithfully is the Financial Times. Used to read the New York Times and Wall Street Journal to get "balance" but it is easier reading FT which is a balanced paper.

For the Star I read Tully, the Colts and Pacers stuff, and Erica Smith sometimes.

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Re: Indystar.com to charge $12 per month for online access starting September 1st.

I can still recall when the Indianapolis Times shut down in the 60s. Several years later, the Indianapolis News followed, when it's content was combined into the Indianapolis Star.

For the last several years, I have subscribed to the Star, but have accessed most of what I want to read online. I like getting my info quickly without having to wait for the next mornings trip to my mailbox at 6AM.

So why have I been donating my $200 or so to the Star each year you ask? Because I don't want to see the Star go the same route as the Times and the News, that's why! It's no big secret that print newspapers are a dying breed. However, that does not mean that local non-television news should die altogether.

The Star has come up with a model that they believe will enable them to survive the ongoing shift from print to Internet-based media. I applaud that they have come up with a plan rather than folding their doors. Does the price seem steep? Yes,frankly it does to me. Does this mean that there will not be an opportunity for a change in their model in the future? Probably not. At least I hope not.

I really think that this model is a first attempt to strike a balance between print and Internet. I believe that we will see further change and improvement as the business changes (and hopefully grows).